By: Ollus Ndomu
President Hakainde Hichilema has fulfilled his campaign promise on mining inclusion on the Copperbelt as he hands over the mineral dump slag to youth cooperatives, sparking positive sentiments across the mining hub.
In his hand over statement, President Hichilema said Monday that he remains committed to fulfilling his campaign promises, explaining that time had come to sanitize the mining sector:
“Now is the time to bring about sanity in the mining sector, that has been ravaged by greed, corruption, unscrupulous practices by certain investors and those charged with governance.”
Hakainde believes that mining inclusion will help turnaround the country’s economy being weighed down by currency depreciation, youth unemployment and a huge public debt burden.
“In an effort to empower Zambians, our government has decided to make available part of the Black Mountain in Kitwe,” added President Hichilema.
Meanwhile, the opposition and mining experts have called on government to make sure that safety is prioritized as the country takes this new route in its mining endeavors.